Weasley Sweater Love
by zombies.eat.love
Summary: its Neville's first time staying at Hogwarts for Christmas, and there is a surprise waiting for him!


**Arts and crafts: Needlework**

 **Task #2: Knitting:** Knitting is a method by which yarn is manipulated to create a textile or fabric for use in many types of garments. _Task: write about someone receiving a Weasley jumper (someone who we don't see actually get one, and no other Weasleys, inc. canon marriages and children to Weasleys). 59_

 _ **WORD COUNT: 882**_

The last traces of the night disappeared as the sun rose on Christmas morning. Slowly, Neville Longbottom opened his eyes and peered at the pile of gifts at the bottom of his bed. This was his first year staying at Hogwarts for the holidays. He looked around at the other boys' beds and the piles they had. Ron definately had the most, which wasn't surprising seeing as he had such a large family. Harry's pile was the smallest.

Neville got out of bed and was about to tell the other boys to get up, when Hermione came into the room to wake up Ron and Harry. "Oh! Happy Christmas, Neville!" Hermione said when she noticed him.

"Happy Christmas, Hermione. Did you get anything good?" Neville inquired.

"I haven't opened anything up yet, I always come and wake up the boys and then we open our gifts together. Why don't you join us?" she smiled encouragingly at him.

"That would be lovely. Thank you, Hermione," Neville smiled back.

"Alright, you lot! Get out of bed! It's CHRISTMAS!" Hermione shouted the last word as she flung open Harry and Ron's bed curtains.

"Oi! Trying to sleep here, 'Mione!" Ron muttered.

"There's no use, Ron. You know she's not going to let us go back to sleep," Harry said with a yawn. "Happy Christmas, Neville. Did Commander 'Mione wake you, too?" He ducked as hermione threw a pillow at his head.

"Nah, I woke with the sun," Neville answered with a laugh.

After grabbing the pillow Hermione had thrown, Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her over to his bed to sit with him. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, "Happy Christmas, 'Mione."

"Happy Christmas, Harry," She replied and kissed him lightly.

Slowly Ron realized that he wasn't going to get any more sleep, and so he sat up. "One of these years you're gonna have to let me sleep in on christmas, 'Mione. I am not myself without all my sleep," Ron yawned.

"There's too much to do today with the ball tonight, so get over it," Hermione smirked.

"Since I'm up, let's open our presents!" Ron said as he caught sight of his presents.

They sat in silence as they started to open their gifts. They exclaimed over favorites and traded some chocolate frogs with each other. Neville was happy to be spending christmas with his friends this year, even if it meant he didn't get to see his parents. His grandmother was picking him up on Boxing Day to take him to St. Mungos to visit, so he would atleast get to visit with them.

"Oh, Harry! It's stunning!" Hermione exclaimed as she pulled out a beautiful locket.

"Open it up, there's more to it than that," Harry smiled.

She opened it and tears sprang to her eyes. She threw her arms around Harry and kissed him soundly. Once she was done, she showed the locket to Neville and Ron. It had pictures of her and Harry throughout the years.

"Good one, mate," Neville said to Harry.

"Oi! Now I'm gonna have to up my game with Lavender!" Ron shook his head despondently.

The other three laughed at his antics and continued opening their presents. Harry, Ron and Hermione got to packages that all looked similar to one another. Neville looked at his pile and noticed a package that looked the same. He picked it up and slowly started to unwrap it. A note fell out first, which he picked up to read;

 _Neville,_

 _Ron and the others have talked about you quite a bit._

 _I just wanted to let you know that you are an amazing friend to them and they are lucky to have you._

 _Also, I wanted to thank you for taking Ginny to the ball this evening, she is so very excited._

 _We would like to invite you over this summer so we can get to know you better._

 _Also, the kids have told me how gifted you are in Herbology, maybe you can help me out with some of my plants that are being stubborn._

 _With much love,_

 _Molly Weasley._

Neville sat in shock after reading the note. He didn't know that the others held him in high esteem. He always felt like an outcast at Hogwarts. He finished opening the package and pulled out some homemade butterbeer fudge-his favourite- and a wonderfully soft green sweater with a large 'N' on the front with a bunch of plants all over it. He stood up and pulled the sweater over his head.

"Mum sent you a sweater this year, too? If you don't like it, you don't have to wear it," ron said.

"No, its my favorite gift this year, Ron. I'm going to write your mum a note thanking her," Neville said thickly.

Harry looked over at him knowingly. He understood the importance of the sweater for kids with no parents.

Neville didn't take off the sweater until it was time for the ball, and even then he folded it up nicely and set it on his nightstand to put on once the dance was over. Next to the wrappers he got from his mum, it was the best thing he had ever received. He felt the love that was imbued into the needlework.


End file.
